Pushano

| Ideation & Brainstorming

Our ideas derived from inspirations such as Heider & Simmel’s infamous animation of personified geometry shapes, as well as Anthony Dunne & Fiona Raby’s Technological Dreams Series. In both cases, empathy essentially grew through the robots’ movement. To create an empathetic robot in such simplicity, with forms far from “humanoid” really intrigued us. This brought us to look further into textures, light and especially sorts of movements that triggers a sense of empathy. As our first task, we decided to settle in creating a curious, cheeky, and slightly shy when confronted robot. However, it was challenging for us to set functionality for an empathetic robot.

After re-evaluation, we set ourselves on a direction, which brought us to the beginning of ‘Pushano’ — a robot that appreciates hygiene and order in its surrounding, with foreign objects in its sight, it acts enraged and pushes it off its periphery. Inspired by a common problem around our atelier - Pushano is the guardian of the tables, clearing the tables of trash left by strangers.

| Realizing the Idea

A big part of this project was realising our ideation of Pushano in terms of its technicality. Inexperienced, we prioritised to plan and test the set-up of the code in response to the Arduino’s input and output. The final circuit combines the Ultrasonic sensor, Infrared sensor, and one Servo Motor. This section of the project was rather tricky as physical aspects (ie. physical arm/pusher and weight of materials) had critical impact on the circuit and code, we had to find the balance between the two natures. This involved many cases of the trial and error approach.

| The Form

Quick & Dirty Prototyping - Before we proceeded in creating a form with final and refund materials, we created a quick, yet scaled, prototype of potential set-up using cardboard. This allowed us to think of the set-up and placement of the different contents connected within the circuit. Another focus was on the aesthetics of the skin in terms of texture to evoke a particular character of tough, anger, frustration and fury.

| Conclusion & Evalutaion

— The program worked, fully supported the body and performed actions and reactions as planned. The whole physical computing was rather a tricky process. As not only were there complications in the development of the code/ program and the physical body of the robot individually, but problems in on particular aspect could result complications in both. Everything had to be calculated and balanced.

— Smaller form could be developed. More precisely produced circuit, by creating a customised, soldered, and milled PCB.

— It has been a lesson learnt, to always save and push progress made on the code directly onto Github. This way, it is easier to find and reverse changes made along the trial & error process